Method and system for facilitating payments for items delivered at delivery locations

Abstract

A method and system for facilitating payments for items delivered at delivery locations is provided. A server system associated with a payment network receives payment card information provided by a user in relation to an online purchase of an item. The online purchase of the item is associated with selection of a Payment on Delivery option. The server system determines if the online purchase of the item is authorized or not. If the online purchase is authorized, a transaction ID is generated by the online seller. The server system receives the transaction ID from item delivery personnel subsequent to the delivery of the item to the delivery location. In response to the receipt of the transaction ID, a notification is provided to the user. The payment to the online seller is processed subsequent to receiving confirmation of the receipt of the item at the delivery location from the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 receiving, by a server system associated with a payment network, payment card information provided by a user in relation to an online purchase of an item, wherein the online purchase of the item is associated with selection of a Payment on Delivery (POD) option by the user, the selection of the POD option configured to instruct the payment network to process payment to an online seller of the item subsequent to delivery of the item to a delivery location provided by the user;   determining, by the server system, if the online purchase of the item is authorized based, at least in part, on verifying the payment card information;   if the online purchase is authorized, receiving a transaction ID associated with the online purchase of the item by the server system, the transaction ID generated by the online seller of the item;   subsequent to the delivery of the item to the delivery location, receiving the transaction ID, by the server system, from item delivery personnel;   providing a notification, by the server system, to the user to request confirmation of receipt of the item at the delivery location, the notification provided in response to the transaction ID received from the item delivery personnel; and   processing, by the server system, payment to the online seller subsequent to receiving confirmation of the receipt of the item at the delivery location from the user.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the item is delivered to a recipient known to the user if the user is not present at the delivery location. 
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the notification provided to the user comprises an image configured to provide evidence of the delivery of the item to the recipient. 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the notification provided to the user comprises a link capable of being selected by the user to provide confirmation of the receipt of the item at the delivery location. 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the transaction ID is shared with the item delivery personnel assigned with delivering the item to the delivery location, the transaction ID shared prior to the delivery of the item to the delivery location. 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein an electronic device associated with the item delivery personnel comprises an application configured to:
 receive an input related to the transaction ID and an image configured to provide evidence of the delivery of the item to the delivery location; and   provision the transaction ID and the image to at least one of the online seller of the item and the server system associated with the payment network.   
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the payment card information comprises at least one of a payment card number, a payment card expiry date and a payment card verification value. 
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the server system, at least one phone number provided by the user in relation to the online purchase of the item.   
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the notification is sent to the at least one phone number by the server system. 
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising:
 facilitating, by the server system, a transfer of money equivalent to a billed amount corresponding to the online purchase of the item, the money transferred from a banking account linked with the payment card information to a user account from among the plurality of user accounts in a database, wherein the user account is linked to the transaction ID and the at least one phone number associated with the user.   
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein processing payment to the online seller comprises transferring the money from the user account to an online seller account associated with the online seller. 
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the online purchase is executed on an Electronic commerce (e-commerce) portal, and wherein a User Interface (UI) associated with the e-commerce portal is configured to display the POD option to the user for facilitating a selection of the POD option in relation to the online purchase of the item. 
     
     
         13 . A server system associated with a payment network, the server system comprising:
 a processor configured to:
 receive payment card information provided by a user in relation to an online purchase of an item, wherein the online purchase of the item is associated with selection of a Payment on Delivery (POD) option by the user, the selection of the POD option configured to instruct the payment network to process payment to an online seller of the item subsequent to delivery of the item to a delivery location provided by the user, and 
 determine if the online purchase of the item is authorized based, at least in part, on verifying the payment card information; and 
   a communication interface in operative communication with the processor, the communication interface configured to:
 receive a transaction ID associated with the online purchase of the item if the online purchase is authorized, the transaction ID generated by the online seller of the item; 
 subsequent to the delivery of the item to the delivery location, receive the transaction ID from item delivery personnel, and 
 provide a notification to the user to request confirmation of receipt of the item at the delivery location, the notification provided in response to the transaction ID received from the item delivery personnel, 
   wherein the processor is configured to process payment to the online seller subsequent to receiving confirmation of the receipt of the item at the delivery location from the user.   
     
     
         14 . The server system as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the item is delivered to a recipient known to the user if the user is not present at the delivery location. 
     
     
         15 . The server system as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the notification provided to the user comprises at least one of:
 an image configured to provide evidence of the delivery of the item to the recipient; and   a link capable of being selected by the user to provide confirmation of the receipt of the item at the delivery location.   
     
     
         16 . The server system as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the communication interface is further configured to:
 receive at least one phone number provided by the user in relation to the online purchase of the item, wherein the notification is sent to the at least one phone number.   
     
     
         17 . The server system as claimed in  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a database configured to store a plurality of user accounts, each user account comprising information related to one or more payment cards associated with respective user, each payment card from among the one or more payment cards capable of facilitating at least one financial transaction.   
     
     
         18 . The server system as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 facilitate a transfer of money equivalent to a billed amount corresponding to the online purchase of the item, the money transferred from a banking account linked with the payment card information to a user account from among the plurality of user accounts in the database, the user account corresponding to the user associated with the payment card information, wherein the money stored in the user account is linked to the transaction ID and the at least one phone number associated with the user, and wherein the money is transferred from the user account to an online seller account associated with the online seller for processing payment to the online seller.   
     
     
         19 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 receiving, by a processor, a transaction ID related to an online purchase of an item by a user, the transaction ID received from item delivery personnel subsequent to delivery of the item to a recipient known to the user if the user is not present at a delivery location provided by the user;   providing a notification, by the processor, to the user to request confirmation of receipt of the item at the delivery location, the notification provided to the user comprising at least one of:
 an image configured to provide evidence of the delivery of the item to the recipient; and 
 a link capable of being selected by the user to provide confirmation of the receipt of the item at the delivery location; and 
   facilitating, by the processor, processing of payment to an online seller of the item subsequent to receiving confirmation of the receipt of the item at the delivery location from the user.   
     
     
         20 . The method as claimed in  claim 19 , further comprising receiving by the processor:
 payment card information provided by the user in relation to the online purchase of the item, wherein the online purchase of the item is associated with selection of a Payment on Delivery (POD) option by the user, the selection of the POD option configured to instruct the processor to facilitate processing of payment to the online seller of the item subsequent to the delivery of the item to the delivery location; and   at least one phone number provided by the user in relation to the online purchase of the item, wherein the notification is sent to the at least one phone number.